Entity Framework Tutorial--Model Browser

Model Browser:

In the previous chapters, we created the first Entity Data Model for schools. But the EDM designer does not fully display all the objects that he created. It only displays the selected tables and views in the database.

The Model Browser can display information about all the objects and functions created by the EDM. Right-click the EDM designer and select the Model browser in the menu to open it.

The Model browser contains all the information about the EDM, such as the conceptual model, the storage model, and the mapping relationship.

As shown, the Model browser contains the following objects:

diagrams: The Model Browser contains a visual diagram of the EDM. We can see that the EDM creates a diagram by default. Of course, if your project is large enough, you can also create multiple diagrams.

Entity Types: The Entities Type list contains the entity classes that correspond to all the mapped data tables.

Complex Types: A composite type is a type created by an EDM that corresponds to a class of stored procedures that have return values, functions that return table values, and so on. Composite types are used for different purposes.

enum Types: enum types are some enumerations that can be used for EF.

Associations: The Relationship list contains foreign key relationships between all entities.

function Imports: The Functions Import list contains the stored procedures that are mapped and the functions that return table values (functions in the database), and so on. In EF, they are used as functions (functions in a programming class) instead of as entity objects.

. Store: representing the database framework (SSDL)

Entity Framework Tutorial--Model Browser